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17 workers get unemployment allowance under NREGA

Altogether 17 workers of Dungarpur district have received unemployment allowance after they were not given work under provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Since implementation of the MGNREGA in the state, this is the second such instance of unemployment allowance payment, widely seen as an assertion of the workers' right under the Act. In 2009, a lone labourer in Bhilwara was paid the allowance after a social audit.

Following a directive from Dungarpur district collector Puna Chandra Kishan, the unemployment allowance totalling to Rs 6,375 was deducted from the salary of the gram panchayat secretary and paid to the workers who hailed from Jagabor village under Khajuri gram panchayat.

On November 5, 2009, the labourers had applied for work under the job scheme and were issued receipts by the rozgar sahayak. But they did not get any work even after the lapse of the mandatory 15-day period.

According to Section 7 of the MGNREGA, if a worker who has applied for work is not provided employment within 15 days of receiving such an application, he is entitled to a daily unemployment allowance of not less than one-fourth the wage rate for the first 30 days. This worked out to Rs 25 per day at the then prevailing rate.

The 17 workers were finally provided work on December 2, 2009 but did get their wages in time. More than a year later, at the initiative of the collector and with help of Wagad Mazdoor Kisan Sangathan, they received Rs 375 each.

Man Singh Sisodia of Wagad Mazdoor Kisan Sangathan and spokesperson for the Suchna Evum Rozgar ka Adhikar Abhiyan said, "While the case speaks of increased awareness and assertion by labourers for their rights under NREGA, the delay in processing even such small amounts of unemployment allowance points to weaknesses in the system.

"However, on a positive note, the current monitoring system of Form-6, where tracking of receipts has become possible, the labourers are more aware of their rights now. The district collector's responsiveness has ensured that the workers finally received their due payments," he added.